COVID-19 Vaccine Latest Updates From Russia: WHO Registration Sought For Sputnik V, Vector Starts Production of EpiVacCorona
Moscow, October 28: Russia has registered two vaccines against coronavirus (COVID-19) - Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona - and is working on developing the third vaccine. Russia is also developing a combined vaccine that can protect from flu and coronavirus. In short, lots of developments with regard to COVID-19 vaccine are taking place in Russia. So here are some latest updates on anti-coronavirus vaccine development from Russia.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which co-developed COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V with Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, had applied to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for pre-qualification and accelerated registration of their vaccine. Russia registered Sputnik V, touted as the world's first vaccine against coronavirus infection, on August 11. COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik V Update: Russia's Vaccine Caused No Side Effects in 85% Patients, Says Developer.
"The Russian Direct Investment Fund, (RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund), has submitted applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) for accelerated registration (Emergency Use Listing, EUL) and prequalification of the world’s first registered vaccine against the coronavirus Sputnik V, which is based on a well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors," the RDIF said in a statement.
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Sputnik V is currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials. Another development is related to EpiVacCorona, second anti-coronavirus vaccine developed by the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology - Vector. According to a report by Sputnik News, Vector has launched production of EpiVacCorona. "Vector has started production of the (COVID-19) vaccine," Anna Popova, who heads the national public health watchdog in Russia, was quoted as saying. COVID-19 Vaccine EpiVacCorona: Key Things to Know About Russia's Second Anti-Coronavirus Drug.
Russia’s third anti-coronavirus vaccine is being developed by the Chumakov Centre. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that vaccination of Russians was the top priority and is more important than the export of vaccines.
